Traffic Psychology, Road Safety, and Health: The Decade of Action

Traffic Psychology, Road Safety, and Health:

The Decade of Action

The United Nations: Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020)

• “The Decade of Action for Road Safety can help all countries drive along the path to a more secure future…Today, partners around the world are releasing national or citywide plans for the Decade…Together, we can save millions of lives.”

• UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Road Safety Statistics

• 1.2 million die in road traffic crashes each year

• Approximately 50 million are injured or disabled by collisions each year

• Every day 3,500 die in a road crash

• Speed contributes to at least 30% of crashes and deaths

• For every 1 km/hr reduction in average speed, there’s a 2% reduction in crashes

World Health Organization (2005)

The United Nations has declared 2011-2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety

Road Safety Statistics

• 90% of road casulties are from developing countries

• 1.9 million road deaths forecast for 2020

• Traffic injuries are the #1 cause of death for young people worldwide

• Economic cost to developing countries approx. $100 billion/yr.

• By 2015, traffic injuries will be the leading health burden for children over 5 yrs.

www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp15145-1201.htm

www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp15145-1201.htm

www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp15145-1201.htm

Public Health Agency of Canada (2012). Injury in review: Spotlight on road and transport safety, 2012 Edition. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada.

Public Health Agency of Canada (2012). Injury in review: Spotlight on road and transport safety, 2012 Edition. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada.

www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp15145-1201.htm

Public Health Agency of Canada (2012). Injury in review: Spotlight on road and transport safety, 2012 Edition. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada.

Public Health Agency of Canada (2012). Injury in review: Spotlight on road and transport safety, 2012 Edition. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada.

What is traffic psychology?• Definition: the study of the behaviour of road users and

the psychological processes underlying that behaviour (Rothengatter, 1997).

• There is no single theoretical framework for the field, but rather several competing models, many of which are drawn from social psychology (e.g., Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour, driver stress, the General Aggression Model, risk compensation, personality theory etc.

• Glendon (2011) identified 174 theories, conceptual frameworks, or models with a psychological component in his review.

Source: Rothengatter, T. (1997). Psychological aspects of road user behavior. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46, 223-234.

Traffic Psychology’s Roots

• Ergonomics/human factors• Cognitive psychology• Clinical psychology• Social psychology• Personality psychology• Environmental psychology• Perceptual processes• Behavior modification• Epidemiology

A Large Proportion of Vehicle Crashes are Attributable to Behavioral Issues

• Distraction• Aggression• Vision & Perceptual errors• Perception of risk• Fatigue/sleep deprivation• Drug & alcohol consumption• Inadequate training• And the list goes on…and on…

Issues for Psychology’s Involvement

• Alcohol• Drugs/OTC medications• Aggressive driving/attributional

processes• Driver education• Driver assessment/licencing• Sleep/fatigue• Aging• Young drivers• Media influences• Way-finding• Program evaluation• Anger management• Risky drivers (street racing/stunt

driving)

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Rehabilitation programs• Stress reduction• Medical conditions & fitness to

drive• Distraction• Risk perception & risk evaluation• Development of assessment

tools• Informatics in vehicles• Bicycles,motorcycles,pedestrians

(VRUs)

Journals

• Accident Analysis and Prevention• Transportation Research, Part F• Journal of Safety Research• Human Factors• Ergonomics• Safety Science• Applied Ergonomics• Personality and Individual Differences• Work and Stress• Basic and Applied Social Psychology• Aggressive Behavior• Violence and Victims

• Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals (CARSP)

• International Association of Applied Psychology (Division 13: Traffic and Transportation Psychology)

Professional Organizations

Behaviours that could be studied on roadways:

• Prosocial behaviours (helping, courtesy, cooperation, etc.)

• Anti-social behaviours (aggression, violence, vengeance, etc.)

• Social influence processes (conformity, modelling, norm formation, etc.)

• Deindividuation• Cognitive processes (attention,

distraction, workload)• Perceptual processes• Wayfinding & route learning• Stress and coping

Aggressive Driving: Interventions

Technological Solutions:• Radar cameras recording licence plate data• Sending e-mail/texting to other drivers who registered

to receive these communications from other motorists

• Speed camera lotteries awarding cash prizes to those drivers recorded driving below the speed limit.

• Contacting police via cell phones• Signs in automobiles that communciate apologies for

driving errorsSource: Wiesenthal, D. L., Lustman, M., & Roseborough, J. (In press). Aggressive driving: Current perspectives in theory and research. In A. Smiley (Ed.), Human factors in traffic safety (3rd edition). Tucson, AZ: Lawyers & Judges Publishing Co.

Aggressive Driving: Interventions

Psychological Strategies• Cognitive behavior therapy for drivers diagnosed with

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (DSM) through court orders

• Feedback from passengers• Music listening• Deep breathing relaxation therapy

Source: Wiesenthal, D. L., Lustman, M., & Roseborough, J. (In press). Aggressive driving: Current perspectives in theory and research. In A. Smiley (Ed.), Human factors in traffic safety (3rd edition). Tucson, AZ: Lawyers & Judges Publishing Co.

Aggressive Driving: Interventions

Source: Wiesenthal, D. L., Lustman, M., & Roseborough, J. (In press). Aggressive driving: Current perspectives in theory and research. In A. Smiley (Ed.), Human factors in traffic safety (3rd edition). Tucson, AZ: Lawyers & Judges Publishing Co.

•Legislation aimed at specific offences (e.g., stunt driving, street racing, burnouts)

•Increased police apprehension of speeding, distracted drivers, drinking drivers, etc.

•Media campaigns against drinking driving, Australian pinky wiggling commercials, etc.

•Promotion of mass transportation.

•Prohibiting dangerous driving depictions in television commercials

What is an “accident”?

1. An unforeseen an unplanned event or circumstance.

2. An unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Conceptualizing “Accidents”

• Accidents don’t just happen

• Determinism versus fatalism: determinism is the scientific belief that events have a cause. Fatalism is the belief that mishaps are predestined by fate or supernatural forces

Victim Blaming

• Bad drivers cause accidents.

• Stems from the belief that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.

OUTCOME:Safe Trip

Or Mishap

Driver

Vehicle

Environment

We often focus on only one aspect of this trinity, while

ignoring the others, along with the complexity of their

interrelationships.

Five Pillars of Road Safety

Road safety

management

Safer roads & mobility

Safer vehicles

Safer road users

Post-crash response

The Blind Men and the Elephant John G. Saxe

(1816–1887)

Reality Perception

Conceptualizing Driving

• Human-machine system• Social system• Human-environment system• Environment-vehicle system• Competitive activity• Recreational activity• Expressive activity• Instrumental activity

A useful way to conceptualize road safety is the journalist’s 5 Ws and and an H

• Who (driver)

• What (vehicle)

• Where (environment)

• When (time)

• Why (risk factors)

• How (description/analysis of the mishap)

Who

• Age• Gender• Previous driving offences• History of criminal offences• Frequency of driving• Driving licence classification• Stress level• Mood state• Learning history

What

• Vehicle type

• Safety features of vehicle

• Mechanical fitness of vehicle

• Quality of lighting

Where

• Location of mishap

• Type of roadway

• Quality/Clarity of signage

• Quality of road maintenance

• Presence of obstacles on roadway

When

• Weather conditions

• Season

• Time of day

• Day of week

• Driver’s circadian rhythm

Why

• Driver inexperience• Driver inattention/distraction• Aggressive/vengeful driving• Alcohol/drug involvement• Poor visibility• Attempt to avoid road hazard• Excessive speed• Failure to signal intentions• Density of traffic may trigger antisocial

behaviours

How

• Description/analysis of mishap

• Reconstruction of mishap

• Role of simulation

A variety of perspectives is most likely to yield positive results!